Worth the Wait
by Dipi
Summary: Teddy has waited too long... was it worth it?


**A/N: This is one shot; pretty long though. It was written long time back and when i read it few days back, i thought of completing it and posting it. Let me know what do you think of it. **

* * *

"Are you sure you're making the right decision?"

Hermione looked in the mirror at her friend, who was fidgeting with her hair. "You sure you want to do that to my hair?"

Ginny dropped the brown strand and walked to the window.

"Everyone is here for the wedding." Turning around, Ginny continued, "Ron still loves you Hermione."

Hermione sighed. "I know. But this is for his own good."

"And what makes you think you know better?" Ginny's infamous temper flared.

"I know myself," Hermione muttered slowly, turning away from the redhead. "I know the wait wouldn't be worth it."

Ginny sighed. She had tried everything but nothing had worked. Maybe this was supposed to happen.

* * *

Harry and Hermione together entered the aisle and she heard some appreciative gasps. Ginny had done her work well.

"I can see at least ten guys ogling you," Harry whispered to her ear.

In spite of herself, she smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. I am sure you will protect me from them."

Harry straightened himself. "Always, my fair lady."

A giggle escaped her lips before worries clouded her face.

"You're doing the right thing, Hermione," Harry assured her.

"Thanks, Harry," Hermione whispered before she took her place beside Ron.

There was only one word to describe Ron today – amazing. He had become confident, self-assured and tranquil after war and it all added to his personality.

Ron gave her a smile and a wink to show his appreciation. "Pity, you are not marrying me," he joked.

And she knew it was only a joke. He was the only one who understood her and supported her.

All the attention turned to aisle as the bride walked in with her father. Anne was looking beautiful.

A moment before Anne was to reach Ron, he looked at Hermione. Hermione nodded and Ron smiled. A wry smile but a smile nonetheless. There was no need for any further communication.

* * *

"I brought you cake."

Hermione looked up to find brown-haired Teddy standing with two plates of cake.

"Thanks, Ted."

"You should also stay away from Molly and George," Ted warned as he took a seat beside Hermione.

"George?"

"Well, he is looking for you for a celebration dance. He is very happy that you pulled off what you pulled off."

Hermione chuckled.

"You really surprised us. I heard many guests muttering about lost values and whatnot."

"Ron is to blame. He didn't want to hear lectures so he asked Anne, Harry and me to keep it all secret. Ron and I came closer after the war, so it was natural that I became Best Man on his wedding."

"Well, it was funny to see you giving speech as Best Man and Harry doing what Maid of Honour does."

"Well, we made sure everyone will remember this wedding."

"True."

They both fell silent, looking towards the tent where the celebrations were going on. Occasionally, music and laughter would waft through the trees to them.

"Molly was crying," Ted broke the silence. "Nothing in this wedding is going on as it should have, she was saying."

Hermione sighed.

"She wanted Ron and you to get married, right?"

"You sure you are only seven?" Hermione joked before turning serious. "Yes, Ted."

"They say you have changed. You used to be uptight and optimistic. And now you have become relaxed but pessimistic."

"I have not become a pessimist!"

Ted remained silent. As if he was giving time to Hermione to gather herself and her thoughts.

"I have not become a pessimist," Hermione said, slowly this time. "I lost my family in the war, all of it. I saw them being tortured, I saw them die. Before war, I wanted to have a family like mine. My mother and father were very happy with each other. I lost the wish to have a family after war. Something broke inside me.

"I am an Auror, Ted. And that too Commando Auror. My life involves risk. I don't want any strings attached. I don't want my family to see me die."

"You do know that if you decide to quit your job, Ministry will give you any job you would want."

Hermione remained silent.

"You are scared to have a family, 'Mione, right?"

"Who told you that?" Hermione asked sharply.

"I overheard Ron and Harry talking. That's why you forced Ron to marry Anne."

"I didn't force Ron to marry Anne," Hermione gritted her teeth. "I told him to start looking around. I am never going to marry. And Ron wants a family. He has always wanted a family."

Teddy got up. "You would want a family too. Later. When you are old."

Hermione got up too. "No, Ted. I don't want a family. And I don't want to marry."

"We will see," Ted muttered as he took Hermione's hand to walk back to the tent.

* * *

"Why were you not there when I went to school?" Ted questioned the moment he entered her house.

"Hello to you too, Ted."

"Answer me."

"I was on a mission, Ted."

"Why do you still do that stupid job? Ron never took it up, the intelligent man. Harry also came around and quit it. You. You got yourself promoted to International Commando rank. You are missing out on all family moments."

Hermione shuffled his hair. "Calm down, Ted. I have made your favourite walnut pie. Want some?"

"I am here for a week. I will have time for that later. You answer me first."

"You have not asked me any question, Ted," Hermione answered tiredly.

"You want a question? Alright. Why are you not quitting your job?"

Ted cut in as Hermione opened her mouth. "And don't give me any crap about how you love your job. Because I know you don't."

Hermione remained silent.

"Everyone is worried about you. I overheard Harry and Ron. You don't come to family dinners, you are not regular to the weekend lunches you, Ron and Harry have. If you think getting yourself killed is the right way to cut the pain, go ahead. But don't, for a second, think that no one would get hurt, no one would miss you, no one would cry for you. Whether you want it or not, you still have a family."

And Ted stomped to his room upstairs without waiting for any reply from Hermione.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Ted asked Hermione.

"Just thought of meeting you."

"I will leave the two of you here," Minerva said as she closed the door of the unused classroom.

"Is everything alright?" Ted asked worried. "And don't lie to me."

"I wasn't planning to. I am going abroad. And I will be gone for at least two years. There will be no way to contact me. So, I just wanted to meet you before I leave."

"Do Ron and Harry know?"

"I have written mails to them."

"Promise me you will meet them before you leave."

"Ted, I-"

"I am not listening to anything you have got to say. Promise me you will meet them."

There never was any point arguing with Ted. "Alright."

Ted gave her a tight hug. He would be twelve in three months but she wouldn't be there to celebrate it. He had made plans to go skiing with her; they would be ruined too.

"Go to skiing with George."

"I will wait for you," Ted said, hope shining in his eyes. "Just promise me you wouldn't get yourself killed."

"I am not giving you more than a promise a day. Your quota is finished for today. I brought you walnut pie. Enjoy it."

There was no need to say it but Ted understood the mission was dangerous and she could get killed. Walnut pie always came handy in difficult situations.

He hugged her once more. "I love you. And I will wait for you."

Hermione hugged him back and left. She had a promise to fulfill.

* * *

He was fifteen when she came back. Sometimes he feared he might have forgotten how she looked like. He spent most of his holidays in her house cleaning and reorganising it. She would want her house in a good position when she came back.

But she didn't come back to her house for another six months. She was in hospital. In coma.

The mission she had been sent on was successful, but she had been caught by the enemies. It had taken joint pressure from Departments of Law Enforcement and Department of Sports to force Department of Aurors to send a search party for her. It had taken them some five months but she was found. Alive.

Ted got special permission to visit her, even from school. And he would visit her daily. He dropped from Quidditch team so that he could be with her. He would sit by her, finish his homework, talk about Hogwarts, Harry, Ron and so many kids in the family. He shared his anxieties, fears and longing for her company from the time when she wasn't around. He never got an answer but that was okay for him. She was alive and that was enough for him.

* * *

"Happy birthday, dear cousin," Scorpius drawled.

Teddy sighed. "Thanks, buddy,"

"May i ask the reason behind your brooding mood today? It's your seventeenth birthday!"

Teddy had always been more comfortable around older people and Scorpius was the only exception to that. Not that he couldn't handle the kids, and they all loved him, but he was himself around older people.

Teddy threw him a dirty look and Scorpius responded with a laugh.

"It's only a party, Ted," Scorpius said, highly amused, "We're not going to butcher you."

"You know how much i love parties," Ted sighed again. "You could have done something to prevent it from happening."

"You do know how James and Fred can get. It's impossible to stop them."

Ted sighed again. He was staring at the rack of books in the far corner of the library, when Scorpius softly said, "She is alright. My father met her last week."

Ted didn't respond to that. "What time is the party?"

It was Scorpius' turn to sigh. "Five pm. Room of Requirement."

Standing up, Ted gathered his books in his hands. "I will be there on time." And he swept out of the room.

* * *

Five pm came too soon for Ted's liking. Dreading it more than ever before, Ted dragged himself towards the Room of Requirement. The moment he entered, he heard loud shouts of Happy Birthday and confetti and streamers falling on and around him. All around him there were Weasleys, Potters, Malfoys and Harry? Ron? Hermione...

He didn't get enough time to process what he was seeing before he found himself engulfed in hugs and backslaps. Everyone was wishing and giving him a gift. Despite his dread towards the event, he found himself smiling at the love these people had for him.

An hour into the party, Ted had spent time chatting with his Harry and Ron. But now as he was standing near the drinks table, he found himself alone and ready to leave the party.

"Happy Birthday, Ted."

Ted stiffened at the sound. "Thanks, Hermione." _Maybe, now was the right time to leave_.

"You've have grown up to be taller than Harry," she commented.

"Not a very good standard to measure against," he commented coolly. _No one was around to help him escape._

"Well..."

_She is feeling awkward. Good. _

"You still look the same, Hermione, even after two years." _Where the hell did that come from?_

"Thanks."

_More awkwardness._

"I think Scorpius there needs something," Ted said, without even bothering to locate his cousin. "I will just go help him." Placing his drink on the table, Ted hurried towards the exit door.

"Ted..."

It was said softly and yet he heard over the blaring music and stopped. He had never been able to ignore her before. Looks like that hasn't changed in two years.

"Ted, I-"

Ted whirled around to face her. She was standing right behind him and he was half a foot taller than her. _Easy to glower at her._

"Yes? Something you would like to add to the _discussion_ we had last time? Something you missed?"

"I am sorry about that, Ted," Hermione hung her head.

"Sorry? Are you really? I still see you in the newspapers as Head of Aurors Department. Or has Daily Prophet resorted back to printing lies?" He was glaring at her fiercely.

Hermione forced herself to look at Ted. A glare on his handsome and gentle face looked totally out of place. She moved to touch his arm but stopped her hand mid-air, unsure what reaction that would elicit.

"Teddy, my job isn't as risky as it used to be. I comfortably sit in my office, ordering people around. I don't do the field job anymore. More like politics and administration." She grimaced slightly at that.

"Oh yes, so all that talk of threats issued against you by some rogue wizards is nothing? How silly of me to believe Daily Prophet again!"

Hermione sighed. "Let's talk outside."

Teddy was about to refuse, but Hermione had already walked towards the door. Sighing, he followed her. They walked silently through the castle to the grounds. It was weekday and everyone was in their dorms.

Ted knew where they were going; Hermione had once shared with him that she found lake very calming and would often come and sit there, thinking. It had become Teddy's solace too.

"I keep seeing him in my dreams," Hermione said, starting the conversation. "Ever since the department got information on his whereabouts, the dreams have been occurring daily. I see my parents screaming for help... and i can do nothing except watch helplessly."

Teddy had nothing to say to that, though he knew how horrible those dreams were and how badly they affected her. Ron and Harry had enough stories to share with him about it.

"Last week we got confirmation on his location and just yesterday we tracked him. A day or more and we will attack. We will finally have him in our custody."

Hermione had become cold as she talked about him. Teddy didn't like it one bit, but stayed silent.

"I had joined the department in the hope of finding those who had tortured my parents and endless like them... all innocent people. The war wasn't finished just because Voldemort was dead. I wanted to finish it... completely."

"The war will never be finished, Hermione," Ted said softly. "The evil can be contained but never finished."

Hermione sighed, plopping on the grass, staring at the moon.

_It is full moon in two days_.

"I know that now."

"You have no idea what happened during the time you were in coma. We thought you were never coming back. Every day, we would go to the hospital, dreading the worst, hoping the best. Harry and Ron were wreck. And they made everyone wreck around them." Teddy couldn't help but smile at that thought. "Ron pestered Severus till he gave up and agreed to work on the potions. And Harry was scouring all Dark Arts texts. Again, poor Severus felt the brunt."

Hermione hadn't heard all that. "I remember you sitting beside me."

"You do?" That was shocking and embarrassing.

"Yes," Hermione answered, still string at the moon. "I knew i hadn't been alone in the hospital, somehow. Soon i figured out it was you."

"There wasn't much i could help with." And he was still ashamed about it.

Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder. "That helped. The fact that there was someone waiting for me to come back was a motivation enough."

Ted blushed.

"I am sorry, Ted. I was missing during all your important moments these two years."

"You never were present to them before even." He hadn't meant to say it; it just came out.

Hermione sighed and removed her hand. Ted regretted the words mainly because he was enjoying the warmth.

"You are right. I am sure Harry and Ron feel the same. I have never been around enough to celebrate their happiness."

_Well, that was true!_ Except for Ron's wedding, Hermione had missed everything. Harry's wedding, their son's birth, Ron's daughter's birth and so many more Weasley weddings. They both had named her godmother to their first-borns, but she hadn't spent more than few hours with the children. Ted had taken it to himself to tell them about their godmother.

"They tell me you still don't spend much time with them, despite being in the same town and same workplace."

Hermione sighed but didn't answer for a long time.

"I am not sure i belong there anymore. I am so out of sorts with their life. And i don't think the children should be subjected to the kind of gloom i carry with me." Hermione gave a tight smile to accompany her words.

Ted frowned. This was new; Hermione never talked this way.

"Anyway, i think it's time we head back or they might send a search party for us."

Ted got up immediately and offered her hand to Hermione. Hermione just looked up at his hand and him. Her face was covered with moonlight and there was sadness in her eyes, something he had always seen there. Though, now there was something else in her eyes, something he couldn't identify.

And then, she took his hand and he felt warmth flowing in him and forgot all about the mystery in her eyes.

And then they walked back to the school and it was best moment in Ted's life because she didn't let go of his hand.

* * *

This was worse than those two years when he had stopped talking to her. Then, at least he knew she was alive and well. Newspapers followed her regularly.

Now? Now, no one knew where she was. She had just vanished one fine day. And that was five years back.

What was more surprising was the fact that Harry and Ron had accepted it. They missed her terribly, it was clear from their eyes, but they had accepted it and not tried searching her.

Not that Hermione would have been easy to find.

It had come to Ted next day what the odd look was in Hermione's eyes. She had decided to vanish once that Death Eater was to be found. And for one full year, Ted had prayed he wouldn't be caught, while he tried to convince Hermione not to leave. Not in words, but action.

He had gone so far as to join Auror academy to ensure her guidance, living with her in the name of being near to the academy, taking care of her when she caught influenza...

And confessing his feelings for her.

In hindsight, it probably was the trigger point.

Ted sighed. Once she left, he quit Auror Academy and joined the training for Unspeakables. He had sent three years in the training wishing for her to come back and fending off the efforts of his friends, relatives, cousins to get him with a girl.

Wish they knew he had only one in mind.

And he had a feeling Ron knew this. He had never tried setting him up. In fact, he was always there for him when he came back after his horrid dates... with butterbeer or firewhiskey, depending on the direness of the situation.

If only Hermione knew, he was still waiting for her.

* * *

Today had been particularly eventful day. They were close to unravelling the mystery of the veil and Ted was very excited. Andromeda had noticed and linked it a girl. He had only smiled; there was no point agreeing or disagreeing with her. He had celebrated the day with Ron in a pub, where they had laughed about his daughter Rose's crush on him.

It had started raining by the time, he reached his flat. Or rather the flat he had shared with Hermione. He never had the nerve to leave it despite it being far from Ministry.

Ted was about to make himself coffee when he heard an alarm from his wards, indicating someone was on the door. A moment later there was a knock.

He expected no one and it was quite late for anyone to disturb him. Trying to guess the person, he went to open the door. He was not ready for the person on the other side of the door.

Hermione Granger.

* * *

While Hermione sipped her coffee, Ted observed her. She looked younger. Earlier she had permanent lines and severe expression on her face and sadness in her eyes. Now, she looked serene and relaxed.

Her eyes still had that haunted look from before but not so intense.

There were so many questions in her mind; he didn't know where to start from. Lucky for him, she started.

"I have been travelling. I travelled to various countries in the first five years. I had enough money to spend. During this time i reached India and settled there. For the last five years i had been there. It's a huge country. You will not believe what all i learnt there... meditation, yoga, spirituality. In few aspects, the wizards there are quite advanced. And they enjoy better relations with Muggles, unlike us. People are more open to wizardry there."

And so it went on. Lengthy description of India, followed by America, China, Sudan, Russia and Brasil. She hadn't only learnt yoga and meditation but various fighting arts, he couldn't name, and cooking. Which was surprising since she was horrible at cooking. Reference: Ron

He didn't even realise when he dozed off. Though he did realise waking up to a delicious aroma from kitchen. If nothing else, he had inherited sharp senses from his werewolf father.

It was no point going to office that day. Sending an owl to Ministry, he sat down for a breakfast with her.

"When are you going back?" Ted asked, once they had finished eating and were talking about England. He didn't want to be so rude, but he wanted to be prepared. She had always left him suddenly; he wanted to savour each and every moment this time.

"I am not going back. I have come back... i have come home."

* * *

Hermione felt a strong sense of déjà vu as she found herself under the ministrations of one Ginny Longbottom.

"You look beautiful, Hermione."

Hermione looked down, embarrassed. She was never good at receiving compliments.

"You haven't changed one bit," Ginny commented amused. "I am so happy for you, Hermione. Welcome back."

Hermione looked up to find tears streaming down Ginny's face. She wasn't sure how to deal with it; she used to be good at it once, long time back.

"Ready?" Ron asked, poking his head through the door.

"Yes, yes," Ginny said, wiping her eyes. Ron looked at Hermione in question and she shrugged.

Ron came in, wearing the finest robes Hermione had ever seen him in, looking handsome. Age was agreeing with him. No wonder he was always in news and women after him. But Anne was more than capable of handling it.

"Shall we?" Ron asked, holding his arm out.

Silently, she took his arm and they both walked out of the door. To the large garden of the Weasleys. Walking down the aisle, Hermione started feeling the butterflies in stomach.

Up ahead, waiting beside Kingsley were Ted and Harry, both looking their best. Harry gave her an encouraging smile and she returned it. Ted, on the other hand, was looking at her with an intensity she couldn't help but blush from.

Ron handed her over to Ted before standing a step behind. Hermione looked at him; he nodded at her with a smile on his face.

Ted took in the hand of his bride in his hand. He felt warmth from her touch, her eyes and her smile.

"I have waited a long time for you, Mrs. Lupin," Ted teased.

Hermione looked up to him. "I am sorry for that."

Ted smiled and bent down to kiss her on the cheek. "Don't worry. I will always wait for you."

Hermione smiled at him. It wasn't bright but it was enough to convey her love to him.

And because of that, the wait was worth it.


End file.
